Extension 350 in the News

Farmers Weekly article ‘Get Smart’ by Jenny Ling highlights the very real benefits many farmers are experiencing from being a part of the Extension 350 (E350) project.

John and Sarah Hammond have been able to make the possibility of achieving their goals for their 903ha beef farm on the edge of the beautiful Herekino Harbour, a reality.

The focus on the 3 planks of E350 – profitability, environmental sustainability and farmer wellbeing – has enabled them to make improvements in all these areas.  As explained by Luke Beehre, Project Lead for E350, “its not just about profit. To achieve farming success, you also have to focus on creating a sustainable environment and a healthier farming community and that is certainly happening.”

E350 team the target farmer up with a mentor farmer in their region and an agribusiness consultant who help identify the target farmers goals, their current restraints and their environmental constraints and then work with them to develop a plan and the tools to move forward.

It can be hard for anyone to put their business under the microscope and open up every aspect of it to others but the Hammonds are benefitting from doing just that.

This excellent article provides insight into how involvement in E350 has enabled John and Sarah to make changes in a way that is sustainable for them and that will allow them to continue to “see the bigger picture” going forward.

Follow the link below to read Jenny Ling’s full article:
https://issuu.com/farmersweeklynz/docs/df_02-09_issuu/60?ff

View from part of John and Sarah Hammond’s farm on the edge of the Herekino Harbour